Various organizations often desire to enable user development of applications configured for execution by mobile devices. Mobile devices can include smartphones, electronic readers, computing tablets, and similar processor-based electronic consumer devices. Applications configured for execution by mobile devices, sometimes referred to as mobile device “apps”, mobile device applications, mobile device programs of instruction, etc. can be executed by one or more portions of a mobile device to cause the mobile device to perform various functions. Enabling user development of mobile device programs of instruction can encourage creativity and innovation in mobile device function development and expansion by a diverse set of individuals and can, in some cases, result in development of new and successful commercial enterprises.
In some cases, testing of user-developed mobile device programs of instruction on mobile devices may be desired. Such testing, which can include executing some or all of a mobile device program of instruction on a mobile device, monitoring various aspects of the mobile device concurrently with such execution, some combination thereof, etc. can enable verification that user-developed mobile device programs of instruction are at least partially free from program imperfections, commonly referred to as “bugs”, which can hinder utilization of the mobile device programs of instruction by users of mobile devices executing the mobile device programs of instruction. Such verification can be important to a user developing mobile device programs of instruction, particularly where the success of a commercial enterprise, user reputation, some combination thereof, etc. can rely upon user-developed mobile device programs of instruction performing as expected in mobile devices.
In some cases, users developing mobile device programs of instruction may desire to test the mobile device programs of instruction on mobile devices which are not in the users' possession. For example, a user may develop a mobile device program of instruction on a desktop computer, where the mobile device program of instruction is configured to be executed by a particular mobile device which comprises an electronic reader device, to cause the electronic reader device to perform a particular function, but the user may not have possession of an electronic reader upon which to test the mobile device program of instruction which the user has developed.
In some cases, users developing mobile device programs of instruction may desire to test the mobile device programs of instruction on a variety of different mobile devices, at least some of which are not in the users' possession, to verify that the mobile device programs of instruction function as expected across a variety of different mobile devices. For example, a user may develop a mobile device program of instruction which is configured to be executed by some or all mobile devices which comprise a smartphone to cause the smartphone to perform a particular function. The user may desire to ensure that the mobile device program of instruction will perform as expected when executed by different devices, but the user may not have possession each and every various type of smartphone on which the mobile device program of instruction is configured to be executed.
While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof are shown by way of example in the drawings and will herein be described in detail. It should be understood, however, that the drawings and detailed description thereto are not intended to limit the invention to the particular form disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims. The headings used herein are for organizational purposes only and are not meant to be used to limit the scope of the description or the claims. As used throughout this application, the word “may” is used in a permissive sense (i.e., meaning having the potential to), rather than the mandatory sense (i.e., meaning must). Similarly, the words “include,” “including,” and “includes” mean including, but not limited to.